When Flower Meets Blade
by warrior4
Summary: Auberita has brought her sprig of Laterose to Redwall. How will Redwalls guarding spirt react?


A/N; Another quick short story of Redwall. I am working on a much longer one, but for now enjoy. I own no copyrights to any of the characters, names, places, or any other things in the following story, especially the major part of one of the books I quote from. 

Rose found herself in front of a great red sandstone building she had never seen before. The last thing she remembered was attacking Badrang at the Battle of Marshank. She had swung her sling in his face thrice before he threw her savagely at the wall. After that all was darkness for who knew how many seasons. Finally her eyes opened standing in front of the door to this massive building. 

Casting her eyes around she saw no one. It was summer and the wind was whispering quietly through the treetops she could see above a great wall that encircled the building. Her first thought was that the Fur and Freedom Fighters had lost. Badrang's forces had won and completed Marshank. Immediately she dismissed the thought. For one there were no trees around Marshank and secondly it was by the coast. No sound of waves breaking upon rock reached her ears. 

Cautiously she stepped the front doors of the building and found herself in a Great Hall. At its far end hung the start of what she somehow knew would become a great tapestry. But right now it contained only one image. Martin leaning causally on his sword smiled down at her. Or was it his sword? The Warrior Mouse in armor she had never seen him wear was the same, but the sword wasn't. She had caught a glimpse of the sword during the battle. It was an old but good weapon. Still the years it must have had on it being handed down from father to son in Martin's family had taken their toll on the blade. The sword displayed on the tapestry was nothing like what she had remembered. The hilt was the same except for the red pommel stone and it had been rebound in black leather. The blade though was something out of a dream. Perfectly straight and true, a single fuller ran down the length of the fabulous weapon to its tip keen as a jagged peak in midwinter. There must be some beast about this place. Walking from the Great Hall she explored the building. After searching rooms obviously designed to be dormitories, kitchens, wine cellars, an infirmary, and the vast grounds inside the walls she found herself back staring at the picture of her Martin. Hearing someone coming she put up the hood of her travel dress and jumped behind a nearby pillar. 

Slowly the doors to the Abbey opened. From outside came a fearsome Warrior. Dressed in full battle armor, red cape flying behind him, visor down on his simple helmet he drew the great sword from his belt and thundered out his challenge.  
"I am Martin the Warrior. Nobeast save those who knew me from before have right to enter here. Be ye friend or foe show thyself now!" 

That was her Martin all right. Always so upfront and boldfaced. Still since it had been so long she decided to have some fun with him. Adopting the gait and tongue of an old mousewife long into her golden seasons Rose came out from behind the pillar.  
"Dearie me young 'un. All that shoutin' and hollerin'. You'll out what's left o me 'earing out so ye will." 

Instantly the armor about Martin vanished leaving him clad in only the simple tunic she remembered. The sword rested easily in a scabbard across his broad back. His face came alive with puzzlement and concern.  
"I am sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to frighten you. I am not used to seeing strangers in this Great Hall. As I said before only those I knew before are allowed entrance." 

Rose smiled to herself as she kept up her ruse.  
"Not at all young un' not at all. Still a beast be greatly tired from her long journey. Take me paw I'm not as young as I once was. Mayhaps ye have something to eat in the fine place." 

Reaching out her hand Martin took it with a kind smile. The moment her paw touched his she was suddenly found standing straight and upright. Her hood had fallen back and she was staring directly into the shocked eyes of Martin who could only manage one word.  
"Rose?!" 

Tossing her head back she laughed at her friend.  
"Aye Martin it's me." 

She launched herself at him and embraced him with in a hug. Only when he hadn't moved did she realize he was sobbing. Lowering him gently to the floor she brought his face up eyes full of concern.  
"Martin what's wrong?" 

Staring up at her through his tears Martin answered her.  
"Oh Rose, my precious Rose can you ever forgive me?" 

"Forgive you? Forgive you for what, in all the time I've known you, you never did anything to harm or betray me. What could there possibly be to forgive?" 

"I let you die Rose. I didn't ask you to not attack Marshank and you were killed because of it. I was never able to forgive myself. Can you ever forgive me my sweet Rose?" 

At that Martin broke down sobbing again while this news broke over Laterose of Noonvale.  
"You mean I'm dead Martin? But then how can I be talking to you? How can I be here? Unless…do you mean you're dead too and that what you mean when you said about meeting beasts before? Only those you knew while you were alive could come here?" 

One glance from the Warriors face told Rose all she needed to know. 

Martin stood and grasped her paw.  
"Oh Rose if I only knew then that our last conversation was to be on that dark clifftop I would have said something better than watching Grumm sleep. All the things I could have and should have told you before."  
Martin then went on to tell Rose how he hadn't spoken for a full season after her death. How at times he had considered falling on the sword of Luke to end his pain. Of his decision for forsake his Noonvale friends and wander south. Rose stood in silence as he spoke. Gently she turned his face up to hers again. 

"Martin son of Luke. My heart aches now that I know the sadness I caused you. I know you couldn't help it feeling the way you did. I would have felt that same way had you fallen and I lived in that terrible battle. I only hope that my death was not in vain. That Badrang was defeated and all those slaves set free for good. Of course I forgive you Martin. The only mouse I've ever loved."  
At her kind words the first smile she had seen on Martin's face broke through the tears and he embraced her and she him as if they would never let go. 

Tears of joy streaming down his face Martin was finally whole again. During all his adventures and battles, through all the wanderings and wars he had fought, through all the pain of injury one pain had stayed with the Warrior. Not having Rose at his side. Keeping to his vow he had never told anybeast of Rose or Noonvale. While he could never forget his beloved Rose the thought of her always caused him to wander off in solitude for a day or so. Whenever his friends in Mossflower asked him where he had gotten off too Martin had always answered about trying to find a closer quarry to supply the materials for Redwall. During his time building and living at Redwall the friendships he had made kept all the good memories of Rose alive in his heart.

When Rose and Martin finally broke from each other Rose was finally looking at the Warrior she remembered. He was older true, and the wounds he had received on the quest to free the Marshank slaves had long since vanished. Replaced by well healed new scars that only someone who truly knew Martin could have made out. Rose kissed him on the cheek as she finally got around to her first curiosity. 

"Martin umm I'm not sure how to say this, us being dead and all, but where are we, if this is a place at all?" 

Now it was Martins turn to laugh.  
"My dear Rose I must confess I had many adventures after leaving the northlands. Sit with me while I share them with you." 

Leading her over to a table Martin and Rose sat down and Martin explained all the travels and perils his life had seen since that fateful day in Pollekin's tree. Rose's eyes grew wide as she told him of being imprisoned by wildcats, his sword being broken, making new friends, the pride and wonder when his sword had been reforged, and his obvious love as he told her of the building of Redwall.

Looking deep into her hazel eyes Martin took her paw.  
"There were many shades of sandstone in that old quarry. Still the most abundant and the only one I would ever all would be the rose colored stone," Martin explained.  
"Nobeast knew it, but the Abbey they lived and cared for was built as a constant reminder of you. So that all who saw these walls and the love I felt for them would know the love I felt for you." 

"Martin, only one as kind as you would have thought to have done something like this for me. But I am not made of stone Martin. Laterose I was named for the roses in Noonvale that grew around my parents home." 

Martin smiled at her as he responded.  
"I know this Rose, and my only regret was that I was unable to plant a rose bush here at Redwall. But now that you're here I think that problem may have been solved. Stay still."

Before her eyes the scene changed. Where once an empty hall stood, now there were many beasts crowded around a young mousemaid and a burly hedgehog.  
Rose watched in awe as the mousemaid spoke. 

"Here is something I brought with me for Redwall." 

The Abbot took the gift. Donning his spectacles, he looked at it curiously, turning it this way and that.  
"Thank you very much, but please excuse my ignorance, what is it?" 

Aubretia explained about the sprig with its attached wet loam bag.  
"Grumm planted a rose on the grave of Rose. It is a red rose. Sometimes it flowers later than others, and we call it Laterose. This is a cutting from the original bush. It is very sturdy." 

Simeon felt the little shoot tenderly. "This spring I will plant in out Abbey grounds. It will bloom and flourish in the memory of the mousemaid. Laterose, what a pretty name. That was Rose's full title as you told it, Laterose of Noonvale, daughter of Urran Voh and Aryah."  
Abbot Saxtus returned Aubertia's locket. "We thank you, my child, for everything. Laterose will remain precious to Redwall Abbey. Martin gave it strength, now Rose will give it beauty."

Rose looked at Martin in amazement.  
"How did you do that? And that mousemaid! Is that really Brome's grandchild? She is right she does look like me? But again how did we come to be in, Great Hall you called it, with so many so suddenly?" 

Martin laughed again as he answered. "I knew the pain of leaving my friends once in my life. When I left the old Fur and Freedom Fighters to travel south. Only the pain of losing you was greater than the pain of losing my friends. Luckily I made new friends here in Mossflower. Before I died I vowed to hang up my sword for good after finding out the truth of my father Luke. Before I did I enacted an old warrior's vow that only came upon me by instinct. Before I hid my sword, I drew blood from my paw with it. I sprinkled the blood on the slab of sandstone that was to become my tomb one day. By blood is always in this place, as is my blood so is my spirit. Since then I have kept my duty to my Abbey by guiding those worthy of my sword in defense of this wondrous place. With my final sacrifice I was also able to let those I had known before I died come to this place. I have a feeling that those whom I touch will be able to come here as well, but that still remains to be seen. I tried long and hard to seek a way to bring you here to me, but until that sprig of Laterose crossed the threshold I had been unable."  
Rose looked at him in understanding.  
"Grumm must have taken one of the roses I played under when I was little for the rose over my grave. I pricked my paw on them more times than I can remember. As your blood runs in Redwall so does mine. Forever.

The other creatures vanished again as Martin and Rose fell into each others arms. Once again reunited. This time no horde, no army, no battle could ever separate them. In all the countless seasons to come Martin appeared too many fine warriors. Rose being a mouse of peace never appeared alongside him in the visions Martin inspired. Yet each time the first Warrior of Redwall helped those worthy of their task complete it, she was there waiting for him, to be with him forever in the place called Redwall.


End file.
